Ripley man faces multiple sex charges

A Ripley man faces 20 felony charges after his arrest Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting and abusing two juvenile female neighbors over a period of two to three years.

Greg Matics

A Ripley man faces 20 felony charges after his arrest Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting and abusing two juvenile female neighbors over a period of two to three years.
Zackery Steven Walker, 23, of Ripley, has been charged with four counts of first degree sexual assault, six counts of sexual abuse in the first degree and 10 counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust to the child.
He was located Tuesday at a residence on Cedar Run Road near Ravenswood by Capt. Herb Faber and Cpl. Chris Metz of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department after a search that began at his residence on Klondyke Road. He agreed to return with them to department headquarters, advised of his Miranda Rights and agreed to talk with the investigators and make a statement.
The investigation began on November 29, 2012, after the alleged victims' mother contacted the Sheriff's Department with allegations that Walker had been doing “inappropriate” things to them.
Jackson County Sheriff's Department Victims Advocate Megan Shockey contacted Maureen Runion at CAMC Women and Children's Hospital and scheduled to have the girls forensically interviewed.
During those interviews with Runion, both girls alleged that Walker had sexually abused and assaulted them on several occasions under the bridge over Mill Creek on School Street, at their home while he was baby-sitting them, at his residence and in a open field on a hilltop during four wheeler rides.
Walker allegedly admitted to the investigators to taking the girls on walks and under the School Street bridge to let them play and taking them on four wheeler rides up to a field on Klondyke Road. He also allegedly admitted to them being in his residence on various occasions, to baby-sitting them at their residence on multiple occasions and taking care of them as their caretaker when their parents were gone many times over the past two or three years. He denied having any sexual contact with them.
Walker was arrested and charged. He was arraigned at around 4 p.m. Tuesday on the 20 felony charges before Magistrate Tom Reynolds who set bond at $600,000. He was subsequently lodged in the South Central Regional Jail.